I need a reminder. Didn't we plan to have a get together on the first night we're on the ship--after the safety drill? If so, where? Also, I took a look at the weather forcast today. They're predicting highs in the 50's with a 60% chance of rain. So don't forget your jackets and gloves.

Peggy, I found this:
cruiseluv
Cruiser


posted March 03, 2005 04:44 PM
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As per thread started by Olivia in Cruise Talk section, we are planning to meet on 6/25 after the lifeboat drill at Galileos.

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So I will be there to say hello unless we have all bumped into each other earlier! Maybe Ngaire will jump in here.

I checked several weather sites, and we seem not to be off to a good start, but at least the winds are calm, since we will be at sea the first two days! I can't figure out whether Magdalenenfjord is a port or a 3rd day at sea, since there are no excursions! Should be beautiful nonetheless! Like going to Alaska, you take what you get but the scenery remains the same!

That weather report has dictated two things, jacket, gloves, and sweatshirt, and my first formal outfit! I am going to wear a pretty black cashmere sweater with feathers just like on my mother of the bride dress, but all around the neckline! It was a gift from friends for Christmas, and have been dying to wear it~

Let's keep an eye on the weather. Things change all the time, and I have asked my Joanna to try to work some magic. Lounging around the pool in sunshine, even with blankets, would be fun one of those first couple of days!

Thanks for the reminder about the get together--we'll see you in Galileos after the safety drill, if not before. In the meantime we can all be chanting to the weather angels for good (i.e. sunny and not cold) weather. Your sweater for the first formal night sounds wonderful. I'll be wearing my last Mother of the groom dress which has long sleeves. I wore it on our Med cruise and was distressed to find that it was kind of tight--so I figure I'd better wear it on the first formal night--I may not be able to get into it later in the cruise.

Peggy, good idea for dress! I'm sure we will all expand with time! Love to find a way to recycle Mother of the groom dress, I did it on MINT! Long sleeves seem to be a good idea on this cruise.

Ken, Linda, Ron and I will be in Gallieos with bells on. I am so looking forward to the Navigator and seeing everyone again and meeting some new people as well. Been a while since I have been on the ship. Not long now.

Hi NINJAS!!!

I'm starting to get my woolies out and I even bought a pair of hiking shoes, my first ever ( we'll see how much use they get!). The following is a list of the LCT people that are coming( as far as I know):

Ngaire and Ken
Linda and Ron
Olivia (Jhp) and Joanna
Peggy and Jerry(pwolftx)
Carolyn( yallcruise)
Maria and Bob( cruiseluv)
June( Ngaire's sister)
Karyn and Joe

I haven't seen any posts from Carolyn in a while so I don't know if she's still coming??

Ngaire, is your sister coming?

Hope to see you in Galileo's. If you don't see us , please send the rescue squad to the "Golden Circle" :)

Edit to add,

Olivia, regarding Magdalenefjord, I have the same q' as you. In my Lonely Planet guide to Norway it says the following:

"If you're there with ( or at the same time as) a large cruise ship, your experience will probably be, shall we say, altered. Cruiseline crew members have been known to add spice to beach barbecues by dressing up as polar bears, or even penguins, and dancing on a convenient ice floe. On the other hand, the better cruise ships contract reputable historians and scientists to enrich their tours".

Wonder which of the two ( or none?) will Radisson do?

Dougburns friends "Joe and Karyn" although they dont post they came to the "cruise on land" in Las Vegas so they are honorary LCT'ers.

Don and Carolyn are coming. My sister June joins the ship in Tromsoe for the last week.

The other 14 passengers I have aboard are not LCT. A group of 31 people.

Hello everyone!
Ngaire is right, I don't post often. We are very excited about the upcoming NINJA cruise. Joe and I are doing 2 segments, Iceland to Copenhagen and Copenhagen to Copenhagen. Our first cruise in this area of the world. A bit perplexed about how to pack since it seems we will be experiencing all kinds of weather. Look forward to meeting all of you. We'll definitely be at Galelio's with drinks in hand! -----Karyn

Hi Karyn!

Glad you posted. Perplexed is the right word to describe how I am as well with regard to the packing!

Are you arriving the same day of the cruise?

Look forward to meeting you and Joe.

Hi Maria!

Yes, we will be arriving the same day (6:30am) and really haven't planned anything for that day. Aren't sure just how tired we might be! I understand that there will be several excursions offered once we arrive, but we decided to wait to see how we feel once we get there, and if it is to late to do get on one, oh well. ----Karyn

We really want to hear reports from this cruise. I do envy your trip to Spitzbergen. Anyone taking the galcier hike? If so, would love a report and pictures. I'll also be interested in your perception of never seeing the sun set for a week. I spent a week in Northern Norway many years ago and never did get use to the continuous sunlight.

Have a GREAT TIME!!!!

Karyn,

Are you by any chance in the Icelandair out of JFK? Our flight also gets in around 6:30 am. on 6/25.

Marc,

We're doing the Hike to "Foxfonna" glacier, but maybe you're referring to the other, Glacier hike to Larsbreen. When I read I had to be part of a "rope team" I knew this was not for me :) !

Maria,

Yes, we are on flight 614 out of JFK. We are also doing the Hike to "Foxfonna" glacier. We steered clear of the hike to Larsbreen for the same reason!

Marc, I'm doing the same, though I'm sure the glacier hike would have been exciting.

For the first time in memory, I actually started to pack the weekend before a cruise. This weather thing is perplexing to say the least, for packing at least, so I decided to start early. I have that awful memory of no luggage last June for 4 days, and Linda not getting her luggage at all in August on Black Sea. So on my carry on I have packed a formal outfit, wool pants, sweaters (1 heavier, two lighter twin sets), gloves, scarf, and khaki's and shirt just in case luggage doesn't make it. I am certain it will, because I only have one flight. If not, to the ship's shop for sweatshirts and pants! Bulk, not weight is the problem when you go to places like this (and Alaska). I am taking two checked bags, which I almost never do!

Karyn, I look forward to meeting you and Joe after muster!

Karyn,

Maybe we'll run into each other at the airport. My Radisson tags will be on my tote bag so I should be easy to identify :) .

Olivia,

You're right about the bulk! I'm going to try and convince my husband to take a carry-on( we never do if we're checking suitcases) for the "overflow" of stuff!

Having been the victim of lost luggage before, we always take a carry-on with at least a couple changes of clothes, pajamas, make-up etc, medicine,valuables and anything else we can cram in. That way at least we're O.K. for a couple days until the luggage catches up. On this trip, because of the remote places we're going, the luggage probably wouldn't catch up at all until Bergen, maybe Tromsoe. Since we're going to be in Reykjavik for a few days, I'm thinking any lost luggage we have would catch up before we leave on the ship. Hopefully, nobody's luggage will get lost at all!! I'm going to do a trial packing today to be sure we aren't overweight. If we are there's still time to go back to the drawing board.

Peggy, I find it is pretty hard to overpack on those int'l flights. We can take two checked bags @ 70 lbs. each!

Guess what I just found out about Iberia ( that's the airline I'm taking for my internal flights in Spain) : Your limit is a TOTAL of 44 lbs. Yes, that's right, not 44 lbs. per suitcase but in TOTAL :mad: !!!!

Yikes! Maria, you're really going to be challenged now!

Maria, is this for coach? We've flown Iberia before and I guarantee we had a LOT more than 44 lbs. We used AA f.f. miles and were in 1st so not sure if it varies between different classes??

Maybe you can load up your carry on (we've done that before because they didn't weigh it)

Marcie,

You're right they allow an extra 20lbs in first class but the difference in airfare was approx. $500 for 1 hr. flights . I also checked with AA for mileage tickets but they didn't have availability with my dates.

Reagarding the carry-on, they're very strict about allowing only one . I usually bring a big tote on wheels where I put all my toiletries( which are many! :rolleyes: ) , documents, books and at least one pair of shoes.

Question for you ladies: when you bring a regular rectangular 22" carry-on ( or similar), do you put your make-up /other toiletries there? Or do you just use it for clothing? If so, where do you carry your make-up / toiletries?
Maybe I don't pack the right way

I guess, worse comes to worse, I'll pay their excess lugagge charge ( 3 euros per kilo) :( .

I would appreciate any help/ suggestions to maximize what I can bring to Iceland/Spain.

I'm sending back to the US in Icelandair with DH 2 suitcases( the maximun he can check) and hopefully he won't mind bringing a
carry-on with him as well!


Thanks for any suggestions

Maria, does DH 1 know about DH 2? :D

Marc,

LOL!! This is one of those instances where I wish there was a 2nd one( he would be entitled to bring back 2 more suitcases!! ;) )

Maria, as long as DH can bring back 2 suitcases, you'll be fine! It's warm in Spain, so you won't need the heavy stuff there after the cruise (like your new hiking boots! I bring one carry on with makeup, clothes and jewelry, along with a small canvas duffle that serves as my "purse". I pack the other toiletries in large zip-lock baggies in my checked luggage. I really don't bring that many of them, but those baggies have in them a stock of over the counter remedies for just about anything. I'd rather keep my camera and jewelry with me.

We passed the weight test!! I managed to get everything except my formal stuff into one larger suitcase and it only weighed 55 pounds. Gee--I could bring 15 more pounds of stuff, but I'm not going to, I probably have too much stuff already. DH will also have one larger suitcase and all the formal stuff and his sport coats, etc. will go in a garment bag.

Maria, if we were going back through New York, we could check a bag for you since we only have three--but we're going through Boston. How big are your bags? If you use some bigger bags for this trip, would that help? DH1 could take back the two big bags, plus a carry on. You could check 44 pounds of stuff in one smaller 22", expandable bag, and put the rest of your stuff in a 22" rollaboard as a carry on. One other thought--are you taking Iberia out of Copenhagen? Isn't that considered an international flight? If it is, the weight limits are higher. Maybe not, though, since Denmark and Spain are both EU. You will have a higher weight limit on your flight home, though--is that on Iberia also?

I just came back from Newark airport to take my sister and daughter who were leaving for PR. It was a zoo!!!!

Peggy,

Congratulations on passing the weight test!
It's so sweet of you to even think of taking care of one of my suitcases if you could! But you're giving me hope that we should be ok with 3 checked pieces plus whatever carry-ons we end taking :) .

I'm taking SAS from Copenhagen and since it's an intra europe flight is the same 44lbs limit.
From Madrid to the US I'm so happy I'm going first class with Continental miles( thanks to DH1) :D , although a little late to help me with any baggage issues.

I haven't started to pack since yesterday and today I was busy with my daughter's suitcase( although my sister was a big help) and today I have to help my son ( the one who is going to Spain). Tomorrow I have to drive him to Connecticut to meet with his group.

Never a dull moment!